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June 7, 2012

Get to Know: Lynn Cahoon & The Bull Rider's Brother

Welcome, Lynn, to the PP! Let's Get to know you.

BIO: Growing up in the middle of cowboy country, Lynn Cahoon was destined to fall in love with a tall, cool glass of water. Now, she enjoys writing about small town America, the cowboys who ride the range, and the women who love them.

And here's Lynn:

Thank you for having me here at Plotting Princesses. I’m a contemporary romance author and have sold several shorts to the confession magazines as well as True Romance. The Bull Rider’s Brother, my first novel, will be published June 4th, 2012 by Crimson Romance.

How did you get from your day job to writing romance? I’m still at the day job, but writing is my passion. I think my husband was shocked when I brought in my first check from a short story. I had sold my first short to True Romance just before my first RWA Nationals. Last year, I sold a story to Women’s World just before Nationals.

What are your three favorite books of all time? Stephen King’s The Stand; King and Straub’s – The Talisman; And a little romance fantasy about a prince who falls for a girl in our world, but lives in another. I can’t remember the title but I loved this book.

Morning, afternoon, or evening person? Definitely a morning person, my muse likes me better when I don’t argue, and in the morning, I’m too tired to argue so the words flow.

Music--with or without? What kind? Mostly without – unless I’m looking at a self-imposed block, then the country music flows. It can’t be my favorites though, or I’ll find myself singing along and not writing.

First or third POV?For my romance writing – third. I’ve done a mystery in first and several short stories in first.

How's tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects? I’d love to lie here and say I’m dedicated and focused, and ….squirrel! Yeah, I suffer from BSD (bright and shiny disease) just ask any of my writer friends.

What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end? In the middle of the book, I let self-doubt creep in. The plot isn’t strong enough. The characters are stupid. I can’t believe I thought I could ever write a book. But sometimes, once I’m done and go through my edit process, those scenes are the strongest in the book.

How did you come up with that title? The Bull Rider’s Brother was originally Trouble with Tilapia. The first editor I pitched said the name would definitely have to change. My original thought was to tell a story about a woman who ran a fish farm in a little town in the Idaho Mountains – then the Sullivan brothers walked on screen and I realized my focus was wrong. The fish farm is still there, it’s part of the community though and not the heroine’s livelihood.

Best advice anybody ever gave you? Two answers…”Pick a book and finish it”. (Thanks Laura!) The lessons you learn by writing a book and then writing the next are irreplaceable.And “there is always a lake monster” or the need for conflict in a story as told to me by my friend Joe in a McDonald late one night.

Fill in this blank:My ideal fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter…What I wore.

What's your favorite dessert?Chocolate walnut brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. Or surprise me—but it better be as good as the brownie.

What's your favorite type of hero/heroine and why?Bad Boy with a heart of gold. I love the redemption theme. For my heroine, she has to be strong, independent, and not know her own worth – until the hero shows her.

Blurb:

The kid watched James and mirrored his actions. He, too, picked up a piece of straw and started chewing.

James grinned. “You riding tonight?”

“Yep.”

“First time?”

“Yep. Gramps bought me a new hat. He says I’m big enough.”

“I rode at your age.” James laid his arms on the rails of the pen.

“You did?” The boy cast a glance downward and away, kicking the dirt with his toe before he asked, “Were you scared?”

“Heck, yeah. I worried I’d fall. Then I was scared I’d make a fool of myself and bawl my eyes out.” James peered at the barn toward where his brother stood talking to group of men. “I didn’t want my brother to tease me.”

“My mom doesn’t know. Gramps said it was our secret.” The kid bent his head towards one of the men talking to Jesse. “Do you think it’s okay to have a secret from your mom?”

“As long as it’s a good secret. Is she coming to the rodeo? Will she be here to watch you?”

Congratulations Lynn. I live in Manhattan and love writing about bull riders too! The American west fascinates me. Also sold my first story to True Romance. I’m writing for Secret Cravings right now and am very much enjoying that. However I know I will come back to the Trues.

Lynn, it was so nice to learn more about one of my fellow Trues writers. Congratulations on your first book. I loved the excerpt, Cowboys are hot. I love the West too, and the first book I ever wrote was set in Wyoming with an American Indian cowboy. That book went nowhere. I know nothing about cowboys or the West. Now, most of my books are set on the East Coast, where I live. But I love reading books about cowboys. Good luck to you.

Cara - Thanks for stopping by. Cowboys are hot. And on my publisher's website, there's a favorite hero poll - cowboys are in the lead there too. If you have time, stop by and keep them on top. (so to speak.)www.crimsonromance.com